DIY Instant Hot Chocolate

Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time.

– Henri Frederic Amiel

Our kids love hot chocolate, especially as the winter months bring cooler temperatures, when we go camping, during “s’mores nights” by the fire pit and just because it is a wonderful comfort to wrap up with. DIY Instant Hot Chocolate is easier than you might think.

I read labels and try hard to serve my family foods that don’t contain a bunch of unnecessary words that no one can pronounce and when we look them up, are a bit horrified at. With a large family, being frugal is not only a fun hobby but in reality, a necessary key to our success.

When I was about Kenzie’s age, my Girl Scout Leader took us on a backpacking trip. We called her “Mother Nature” because she was seriously a earthy gal and seemed total at home trekking across the wilderness. She made us make EVERYTHING we’d need before hand. Toilet paper packets as well… THAT is a story for a whole other time. She had us make instant hot chocolate as a group and it was fabulous.

As an adult, I always bought the packets of instant hot chocolate from the store. Each time thinking about how easy it was to just make it myself. One day I read the label and that was the last time I bought that.

I dug through my box of memorabilia and located the hot chocolate recipe on the back of the packing list for that backpacking trip, tucked into a scrapbook.

If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.

DIY Instant Hot Chocolate-

You will need a jar with tight fitting lid for storage. I like to use the holiday theme jars for each of the seasons.

1/3 Cup Cocoa

This is totally your preference in brands that you prefer. Droste is my favorite and Guittard is amazing but both are a tad on the pricier side. Hershey’s Dark or Dutch is easier to find, cheaper and tasty.

2 Cups Instant Dry Milk

2 Teaspoons Salt

3/4- 1 Cup Sugar

Put all the ingredients into your jar and mix it together thoroughly.

I keep a teaspoon in the container so it is easy for anyone to measure out three teaspoonfuls (we wont tell if your spoonfuls are heaping. 😉 ) into your mug and add hot water.

Mix and enjoy!

I hear that DIY Instant Hot Chocolate mix will keep for up to one year in the right container. I’ve never had a batch that wasn’t polished off within a couple of months. It is so cheap to make that you wont mind refreshing your mix twice a year or more. This also makes for a great gift as well.

I’d omit the dry milk and add a little soy creamer to your cup when you make it.
You can use vanilla soy milk or my favorite is vanilla almond milk to give it a nutty taste too.
Rice milk thins it out a bit, where we’re looking for the dry milk to creamy it up.